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' 151%4 G. E. NORTHROP DIE PROTECTOR Filed June 27. 1923 a i 1 w M j 1 2 w b a 3 My n V F f I i a k A P 3 3 4 a b b 3 2 A. A A C. 2 0 g W H WP. m m 0 I Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EDWARD NORTHROP, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB, BY unsnn ASSIGNMENTS, TO PITNEY-BO'WES POSTAGE METER COHPANY, OF STAMFORD CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE DIE 'rnorncron,

Application filed June 27, 1923. I Serial No. 648,041. I

To all whom it my camera:

Be it known that I, Gnonon E. NORTHROP, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Die Pro tectors; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accoml panying drawings, w ich form part of this s ecification.

ThlS invention relates to a novel die protector especially designed to protect the dies of postage meter and mail marketing machines, such as shown in the patent to Arthur H. Pitney #1,37 0,668, dated March 8, 1921, and the object of the invention is to provide a novel die protector adapted to surround the dies on the printing members of said meters for the purpose of preventing any fraudulent attempt to obtam impressions from the printing member die when same is in its normal position of rest, and without revolving the die spindle, thereby recording the amount of the impression on the meter.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accom anying drawings which illustrate one practlcal'embodiment thereof to enable others, skilled in the art, to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the appended claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for all of which protection is desired.

85 In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the printing ,member of a meter such as shown in said Pitney patent and showing my novel die protector attached thereto.

to Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a lan view of a sheet metal blank from w ich my novel protector is formed.

Fig. 4 is a section on the 1ine44 Fig. 1. My novel die protector is illustrated in the drawings in connection with the printing member of a postage meter and mail marking machine, such as shown in they patent of Arthur H. Pitney #1,370,668, 0 dated March 8, 1921, in which 1 is the printin member or printer, the side face of whici is provided with the suitable dies for printing the stam s on the letter or other mail matter, an is also preferably rovided with the usual stamp cancelling ines, as described in the aforesaid patent. The printing member 1 is mounted on a vertical spindle 1 which is rotated by suitable means within the base 2. Spindle 1 is mounted in suitable bearings on the hollow base member 2 (which base houses the spindle and meter actuating mechanisms, not shown). Integral with the member 2 or securely attached thereto is a standard 2 having an arm 2 on its upper end provided on its outer end with an upper bearing 2' for the spindle 1. On the upper face of the base 2 is the lower bearing 2 for the spindle, said spindle being rotated my suitable mechanism (not shown) within the base 2, as described in said Pitney patent. Mounted on spindle 1, above the printing member 1,- is the letter guide wheel 1".

My novel die protector, as shown in Fig. 3, is preferably formed from asheet metal blank or stamping, having a base portion 3", a head portion 3 and. a central narrow connecting portion 3 of suitable length, connecting the base and head portions. The

ortion 3 has a central opening 3 on the ongitudinal axis of the part 3, and is provided, as shown, with a convex portion 3, substantially semi-circular in shape, andof slightly larger radius than the radius of the rinting member 1, also with a concave portion 3, and with a straight portion 3' as shown, and integral with the base 3 intermediate the concave and convex portions 3, 3, is a tongue or finger 3 of slightly greater length than that of the portion 3, the outer end of tongue 3 being adapted to fit into a 'slot 3 in the head 3*, slot 3 being symmetrically located with respect to the tongue 3*. As shown, head 3 is in general shape and form symmetrical with and of same size as the base 3, and is provided with a. convex portion 3, concave portion 3, and straight portion 3, and is also provided with the central 0 ening 3 of slightly larger diameter than t e diameter of the spindle 1.

The base and head ortions,-of the blank or stamping '3, are a apted to be bent upwardly at rlght angles to the part 3? on the dotted lines aa, 6-?) (Fig; 3), and the tongue 3 is then adapted tobe bent towards the head 3, at right angles to the base 3", on the dotted line 0-0 3), so that the outer end bf tongue 3* will enter the slot 3 in the head 3 with tongue 3 parallel with the part 3, and head 3 parallel with the base 3".

When the blank 3 is bent as above described, the tongue 3 will be parallel with the portion 3, and will extend between the base 3" and head 3, the outer end of said tongue passin through the slot 3 and the protector is. t en ready to be attached to the spindle 1 to protect the'printin memher 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, t e base 3 is placed on the top face of bearing 2,

' withthe spindle 1 passing through the central hole 3 therein, spindle 1 further passing through the hole 3 in the head portion 3. The die protector is preferably securely and non-rotatably attached to the top of the hearing 2 by means of a pin or rivet 4, passin through a perforation 4* in the base of t e protector 3", and into the top face of the bearing 2; before the protector is thus fastened into position by means of rivet 4, the protector should be turned or adjusted to the desired position relatively to the printin member 1; that is, the straight edge portions 3 of the base and head should be adjusted so that portions 3 are parallel with, and adjacent to, the line of travel of the mail matter throu h the machine. The rivet or pin 4: shou d lock the mtect or in this position on the meter cas1ng2, and efiectively preventsthe protector from revolving either by accident or by intent on the part of the operator,

thereby preventing any fnaudulentattempt to obtain impressions from the printing member on a letter or other mail matter unless the spindle 1 is revolved and thus recording the amount of the impression on the meter of the machine.

When the protector is properly positioned around the printing member as above described and as' shown in Fig. 4, the protector will efiectively prevent the taking of an impression from the die without revolving the spindle "1, sinoethe convex portions 3 of the baseand head are of greater radius than the face of the printing member 1, and the convex and straight portions 3, 3', lie entirely within the face of the printing member 1, as shown in Fig. 4:. When the rintingmember is normally at rest the die is in the'position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the printing face thereof adjacent to and facing the standard 2*. The projectin edges ofthe base and head 3, 3 and t sports 3 and 3 will prevent anyone from obtaining an impresslon from the die of the printing member, when the same is at rest. When, however, the printing member is revolvedinto the line of travel of the mail matter through the machine the die thereof passes between the convex edge portions 3 and the straight edge portions die being of 3, the base and head and the face of the eater radius than the portions 3, 3, said die face will contact with the mail matter passing by the printing member 1 parallel with the edges 3 of the protector.

While I have shown and described the invention as applicable to a postage meter machine as shown in the said Pitney patent, it will be obvious that the invention could be readily adapted for use with other types of machines, and therefore I do not consider the invention restricted to use with the said Pitney machine.

What I claim is:

1. For a machine of the character specified, a die protector, comprising parallel base and head portions connected by an intermediate portion, said base' and head each having a circular opening at their centers, and the edges thereof having concave, convex, and straight portions; and said base having a tongue portion extending from the edge thereof intermediate and convex and concave portions, and said head having a slot adapted to receive the end of said tongue portion; said protector being adapted to be placed around the die with the shaft of said die passing through the circular openings in the base and head portions.

2. For a machine of the character specified, a die protector, comprising parallel base and head portions connected by a relatively narrow intermediate portion, said base and head each having a circular opening at their centers, the edges thereof having concave, convex, and straight portions, and said base having a relatively narrow tongue portion extending from the edge thereof intermediate the convex and concave portions, and said head having a slot adapted to receive the end of said tongue portion; said protector being adapted to be placed around the die with the shaft of said die passing through the circular open-- ings in the base and head portions, said protector bein non-rotatably mounted withthe straight e ge portions of the head and base paralleland adjacent to the normal line of travel of the' matter passing through the machine to bestamped.

3. For a machine ofthe character specified having a' revolvable spindle carrying a printing die; a protector having perforated base and'head portions of greater diameter than the die and loosely surrounding the spindle; and a member connecting the head and base portions adapted to cover the printing surface of the die when latter in its normal position of rest; and means for fastening the protector so that it can not revolve.

a. For a machine of the characmr spec fied having a rcvolvable spindle carrying a printing die; a die rotector formed of sheet metal having a base portion and a head portion of approximately greater diameter than the die and loosely surrounding the spindle, and a member connecting the head and base portions and formed integral therewith, said connecting portion covering the printing surface of the die when the latter-is in its normal osition of rest; and means for fastening t e protector so that it can not revolve,

5. For a machine of the character specified having a revolvable spindle carrying a printing die, a rotector having perforated base and hea portions of greater diameter than the die and loosely surrounding the spindle, and a member connecting the head and base portions ada d to cover the printin surface of. the 1e when the latter is in its normal position of rest, one of said portions having a tongue spaced from the connecting portion and adapted to v v conneotin engage the other portion; and means for fastening the protector so that it can not revolve.

6. For a machine of the character specified having a revolvable spindle carrying a printing d1e;a die protector formed of sheet metal having a base portion and a head 1'- tion of approximately'greater diameter t an the die and loosely surrounding the spindle, and a member connecting the head and base portionsand formed integral therewith, said rtion covering the printing surface 0 t e die when the latter is in its normal position of rest, and one of said portions having an integral tongue spaced from the connecting portion and adapted to engage the other portion; and means for fastening the protector so that it can not revolve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as in own I afix mv si' ature. v G EORE ED AR NORTHROP. 

